


Love isn't easy

by Eydol



Series: The Princess and the Knight [1]
Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 16:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6666283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eydol/pseuds/Eydol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of all the women he could have fallen in love with, it had to be Alisha. And, of course, Sergei couldn't confess his love to the princess. Or could he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love isn't easy

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, thanks to Fjeril who fixed all my mistakes. Thank you for your patience ;_;
> 
> Welcome to the first writing of the serie "The Princess and the Knight", about Sergei & Alisha. I do hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it :)

            If there was something that Sergei believed in, besides the Shepherd and the Seraphim, it was love. For him, love was a true thing, something that could happen at any time, without warning. He thought that love could make miracles and, consequently, love would save the world. Wasn’t it love that let Sorey protect their world? It was.

            He had always imagined that, one day, he would find a wife and have a lot of children with her. She would be a loving woman, with cooking skills, and with whom he would be able to have some peace after the work. She would have been there for him and he would have been there for her. It was a perfect dream.

            But Fate was malicious and things went differently than according to the plan. Love stabbed Sergei straight in the heart once he had seen her face. He had known she was the one, the one he had been waiting for. But it was really different from his expectations. The woman with whom he fell in love was a loving woman, without cooking skills. When he wanted to have peace and forget work, they often talked about politics and, sometimes, argued. And, more than anything, she was inaccessible.

Because, of all the women he could have fallen in love with, it had to be Alisha Diphda, one of the princesses of Hyland. And, as a Rolance Knights’ Captain, he couldn’t expect having the chance to get married with her. Besides, she was nineteen years old and he would soon turn twenty-eight. Wasn’t he too old for her? A lot of people, and especially Sorey if he had been there, would have said it wasn’t a problem. For Sergei, it was. Not the biggest, but still a problem.

No, the biggest problem was that Alisha was a princess. He knew it was a bad thing to fall in love with a princess, especially for someone of his rank, yet he couldn’t help but love her, and this, since their first true meeting, in front of a cup of tea to talk about how to stop the war. It was one year ago. He had met her on the field, when this big Dragon had appeared from nowhere (now he knew there were Seraphim on the field too) and they had fought it together with the Shepherd and Rose. Then, they had been introduced and, since that moment, Sergei had been in love.

At first, he hadn’t understood. He liked the young woman, the way she smiled, the way she fought to preserve the Greenwood continent. And, suddenly, he noticed the strength of her voice, the lullaby of her laugh, the beauty of her green eyes. She took all the place in his mind and, before he was even able to say “Training!” to the Knights, Alisha took his heart.

And it hurt a lot. Sergei had always imagined that love was something beautiful that gave you wings. But it wasn’t, especially when you didn’t know if the chosen one had the same feelings. He had to live with her presence on his mind every day, and when he could meet her, it was a psychologic torture: she was near and yet, so far. She didn’t know, didn’t understand that, when he tried to do a good joke, it was to hear her laugh. When he tried to see her more often than he should, it was to be able to hear her voice and see her eyes. He was crazy in love, ready to do anything to be by her side: once, he had proposed her to be her bodyguard till Ladylake. Every Knight who had been there at the moment had looked at him as if he was crazy (and he was, really, he knew it) and she refused politely, saying that she already had bodyguards. He had smiled but, deep inside, he had been stabbed.

But Sergei wouldn’t give up, not if she didn’t tell him herself that she was annoyed by his behavior. Maybe she was too polite for that but, after one year, he could say that she was definitely able to be frank. So, if he was annoying, she would tell him, right? That was what Sergei thought and that was why he didn’t give up.

Taking a long breath, Sergei looked around him. The Knights were quiet, talking softly to each other, but he knew it was only a facade. Soon, when Hyland’s Knights would pass through the door, they would be livelier than before. Some Knights from the two countries that met a lot this past year had become good friends. Sergei even heard that one of his Knight was dating the sister of one of Hyland’s Knights. It was a good thing as it meant that everything was possible. And talking about that, Sergei was ready to prove it too: when Alisha would arrive, and after their meeting, he would ask her to be his dance partner for the ball, this night. It was a risky bet as the princess had been invited to the ball as representative of Hyland Kingdom. Of course, it was the official reason but Sergei knew better: the Emperor himself was interested in Alisha and, even if Sergei thought he maybe was too old for her, the Emperor was older. As expected, if the princess chose the Emperor, Sergei wouldn’t complain and would let her go. After all, he only wanted her happiness and, as a princess, she should be by a royal or imperial members’ side, and not by a mere Knights Captain’s side…

Finally, the wait was over. The door of the Headquarters opened and Alisha, followed by knights, entered the room. She greeted Sergei who tried his best to stay neutral and, after some polite words, they went to their meeting. Once it was over, he asked the princess to go outside to talk a little bit more. Puzzled, she accepted nevertheless and followed him outside.

“Is there any problem?” Alisha asked, tilting her head.

“No, it’s just… I…”

            What was happening with him? He had already invited a lot of women before Alisha, so why was he so nervous? If she didn’t accept, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Well, it would, but only for him, and only he would know.

“About tonight’s ball. Would you like to be my partner?”

            The princess looked surprised by the question and Sergei tried not to take her in his arms. Surprised, happy, sad… She was always beautiful. A sad smile appeared on her lips and Sergei understood the answer.

“I’m sorry, Sergei. I would like to, but the Emperor already asked me and… I couldn’t refuse.”

            As expected from the Emperor. Sergei had hoped he wouldn’t ask the princess but, of course, the occasion was too big for him not to ask the woman he wanted to have to be his partner. But Sergei was a good loser and wouldn’t complain. Not in front of the princess and the Emperor, at least.

“I see. Don’t worry, I shouldn’t have asked in the first place. I know that a woman like you should be by the Emperor’s side.”

“A woman like me?” She repeated.

“As a princess, I mean.”

“Oh. As a princess, yes…”

            And suddenly, she looked totally sad and Sergei didn’t understand why. Did he say something wrong? What should he do!?

“Did I say something wrong? Are you fine?”

“I am.” She answered a little bit harshly and it surprised him. A new face of his Alisha? He liked it! “I’m going. I have to prepare for the ball…”

            Sergei wanted to stop her but he prevented it and let her go. What had happened? He didn’t understand at all but, deep inside his heart, he knew he had probably done something wrong.

* * *

 

            The ball was big and sumptuous, as always. Coming from the Emperor, it wasn’t a surprise and, already, Sergei was sick of all of this. To be honest, the fact that Princess Alisha, in a beautiful blue dress, was standing beside the Emperor was his big problem. How many Galds… No, how deeply would he beg to be by her side instead of the Emperor? And, more than anything, he was sick of himself. Didn’t he promise to let her go if she was happy with the Emperor? Didn’t he know that she would be better with an Emperor, someone almost to her rank, more than with a little Knights Captain?

Yet, Alisha didn’t seem happy at all. The smile on her lips was small, the sparkles in her green eyes had disappeared and, when she thought that nobody saw her, she sighed and lowered her eyes. For Sergei, seeing the woman he loved being in this state was a torture. And seeing that the Emperor didn’t even notice, it pissed him off.

It meant it was time for him to leave the scene before he did something really regrettable. Of course, it was also an excuse to leave the ball. He barely danced and when he did, he barely took notice of whom he was with. He was so accustomed to hear women trying to flirt with him that he couldn’t care less.

He glanced at Alisha a last time and their eyes met. He thought the sparkles had come back; it was probably his imagination, so he nodded to the woman and left the room. Except Alisha, nobody needed to know that he left: he was a mere Knights Captain, after all, and it already was a miracle for him to be invited to the party.

While he went down the stairs at the castle entrance, he heard his name being called.

“Sergei, wait!”

            He turned towards the voice and was surprised – but also pleased – to see Alisha coming near him.

“Lady Alisha. You’re beautiful, tonight.”

“Only tonight?” She pouted and he laughed.

“Always.”

            He shouldn’t tell her something like that but he couldn’t help, it was the truth after all. If only he was able to tell her what he really thought… But she was a princess, and he was a Knights Captain: not the same world.

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yes. It’s not really my place.”

“It is.” The frank answer made him laugh. “I’m not joking, Sergei. With all the things you have done for the empire and for the peace, it is your place.”

            It was good to hear that from her, but she misunderstood what he wanted to say.

“That’s not… What I mean.”

“What do you mean, then?”

            Standing in front of him, Alisha looked like a goddess searching for an answer. And, at this very moment, he wanted to tell her the truth, how much he loved her and how much he was jealous of the Emperor. But he wouldn’t. She didn’t need to know something like this, anyway. So, he turned back and started to leave, biding her goodnight.

“Tell me.” Alisha repeated in a soft voice that made him shiver.

“You won’t like it.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” The answer was.

            _Because knowing that an elder man had been trying to get your attention for months is creepy…_ Sergei closed his eyes. He had the sensation to be back to one year earlier, when the war between their two countries had started and that he had to do a choice. Fortunately, Sorey, Rose and the Seraphim had been there. They weren’t anymore. So, he took a decision and looked at the princess who was still expecting an answer.

“I love you, Alisha.”

            The words came as if it was only natural for him to confess his love to this young woman who was still learning about life. Alisha stared at him, mouth opened, highly surprised by the sudden confession.

“And my place isn’t beside you. It’s the Emperor’s place.”

            Telling her that he was jealous of the ruler of this country wasn’t probably the best idea of the century but Sergei didn’t mind it for now. If he had to tell her, then, he should tell her everything, or at least, tacitly. Alisha kept staring at him in surprise and, for a moment, he wondered if Medusa was standing behind him, even if the idea was stupid.

“I…” She started. “I’m sorry, I don’t know…”

            She lowered her eyes. She didn’t need to finish her sentence and Sergei didn’t want to hear it. It was already difficult.

“Don’t worry for that, I wasn’t expecting more.”

            _Liar._ He was expecting more. Hopes were annoying, but Alisha’s answer, even if expected and hurtful, was fine for Sergei.

“Good night, Lady Alisha.”

            It was better like this, he kept repeating to himself. For Alisha was a princess and him, a mere Knights Captain.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
